Dear Editor,
The ruling regime uses every opportunity to lay claim to democratic credentials. However, these claims do not stand up to scrutiny and Guyanese should examine the reality, instead of just accepting what the regime wants us to believe without question.
Editor, experts define democracy as a system of government where all citizens participate equally. In Guyana, this participation should occur through elected representatives, from the local level to the level of central government. The experts agree that democracy does not exist in the absence of equality, freedom and the rule of law. Also, certain fundamental principles apply, namely: upward-control, where power is exercised from the bottom of the socio-political ladder; and political equality, where all citizens have equal representation. It should be noted that a democratic form of government is entirely defined as the system of government which adheres to the tenets of democracy; it has nothing to do with periodic elections. A case in point is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) or North Korea; despite periodic elections and claiming democratic status in the official name of the country, North Korea remains arguably the most repressive state on earth. So holding elections is irrelevant. But what about the conditions that actually matter; how does Guyana measure up, point by point?
Firstly, democracy requires equality under the law, yet in Guyana we see instances of blatant inequality. Certain accused walk out of court free men despite strong evidence that crimes have been committed. We have seen powerful ministers of government involved in events resulting in injuries to persons, yet these matters are not brought to court. We have seen no action taken against the politically connected managers of the state owned NCN despite the alleged misappropriation of millions of dollars. It is obvious that the law is routinely not enforced against rich and politically connected people; the wealthy and the powerful elite appear to be immune from effective prosecution, while the poor masses are jailed for petty matters. There is therefore no equality under the law in Guyana.
Another basic tenet is freedom of expression, yet in Guyana, attempts to muzzle the independent media are the norm. Government ministers and even a former president have used the judicial system against media houses and personnel. Such events do not occur in democracies; can you imagine US President Obama suing CNN for libel? We recall the banning of journalist Gordon Moseley from the Office of the President; the muzzling of columnist Christopher Ram at a public forum at the National Cultural Centre and we have heard of physical attacks against Freddie Kissoon. The list goes on. Guyanese may be understandably afraid to express themselves in such an oppressive atmosphere. Evidently, freedom of expression is being taken away from us, day by day. Where will it end?
The experts say that democracy must include upward-control and political equality; the people must exercise power from the individual and local levels. Yet we see that these conditions are absent in Guyana. We have been deprived of the right to elect our local representatives for almost two decades, although local elections are mandated by the constitution. The PPP/C regime continues to wield power from the top as is evidenced by the imposition of PPP/C controlled interim management committees and hand-picked officials on local government bodies. Most recently, the ruling regime moved to consolidate power from the top, by using the 2014 budget to seize control of development projects that should have been managed by Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and municipalities. We see, therefore, that power is being wielded in a totally anti-democratic manner, from the top instead of the bottom.
Editor, governance in Guyana obviously does not meet even the minimum standards of democracy. So what type of government do we have? Well, it is appears that Guyana’s government has devolved into an oligarchy, or a system in which power is held by a small group of wealthy, well-connected individuals who use their resources and connections to rule over the masses of poor workers and unemployed citizens. The evidence of this is clear for all to see and I urge my Guyanese brothers and sisters to take a moment and google the word ‘oligarchy’ if further clarification is needed.
In the past the PPP/C enjoyed the support of most Guyanese of Indian descent and those PPP/C supporters may have been satisfied that the PPP/C was representing them. However, the regime has failed the Indian-dominated sugar and rice industries; predominantly Indian villages are as underdeveloped as the rest of the country – including the hinterland – and Indo-Guyanese villages are being flooded owing to the neglect of sea-defence and drainage infrastructure. Therefore, poor Guyanese, including East-Indians are all experiencing hardships as this regime facilitates the elite in building wealth. This has left all poor Guyanese without political representation in the executive branch of government.
Of course this situation is unsustainable. Poor Guyanese must now think about their situation and seek the representation which they deserve. An oligarchic government will not represent the interests of the masses. Therefore, Guyanese would be justified in taking their support elsewhere.
Yours faithfully,
Mark DaCosta
